Gaseous electric discharge lamp device



Feb., 5, 1935. M. REGER GASEOUS ELECTRIC DISCHARGE LAMP DEVICE Fiied sept. 5, 1934 INVENTOR BY Kfm, L.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Martin Reger, Berlin-Charlottenburg,

assignor to General Electric Comp poration of New York Germany,

, a cor- Application September 5, 1934, Serial No. 742,185

Germany September 21, 1933 5 Claims. Y (Cl. 176-122) The present invention relates to gaseous electric discharge lamp devices generally and more particularly the invention relates to such devices of the type disclosed in copending application, Serial Number 730,334, led June 12, 1934, the inventors being Marcello Piram', Martin Reger and Adolph Fehse. Y

The lamp device disclosed in the copending application comprises a tubular container having thermionic electrodes sealed therein at the ends thereof and a gaseous atmosphere therein comprising a metal vapor, an evacuated, tubular envelope in which said container is mounted and a light transmitting, open-ended, cylindrical baille interposed between said container and said envelope to reduce the heat losses from said container. The cylindrical baille terminates short of the electrode chambers of the container and surrounds the part thereof intermediate said electrode chambers. The object of the present invention is to improve the efliciency of lamp devicesfof the above type. Another object of the invention is to provide a strong, rugged gaseous electric discharge lamp of the above type, the manufacturingI cost of which is reduced to a Still further objects and advantages attaching to the device and to its use and operation will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following particular description.

The invention attains its objects by making the cylindrical baille equal to or greater in length than the over all length of the container, including the electrode chambers at the ends of said container. The heat losses from. all parts of the container, including the electrode chambers, are thus effectively minimized, and all parts of said container are maintained at an elevated temperature during the operation of the lamp device which is particularly important in connection with metal vapor lamps to avoid condensation of the metal vapor in the electrode chambers and a low vapor pressure in the lamp.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification an embodiment of the invention is shown in a front elevational, partly sectional view.

Referring to the drawing the new and novel gaseous electric discharge lamp device comprises a tubular container 1 having a gaseous atmosphere therein comprising a mixture of a starting gas and a metal vapor, such as argon and mercury vapor, or neon and sodium vapor, and having a thermionic electrode 12 sealed into the electrode chamber 19 at each end thereof. It,

will be understood, of course, that the vapor of other metals, such as cadmium, magnesium, thallium, rubidium and zinc, can be used in said container 1 as a light giving element, when desired. Said thermionic electrodes 12 consist of 5 a heater element, such as a coiled tungsten filament, in operative relation to a body of electron emitting material, such as barium oxide, which is coated on said heater element. Said heater element surrounds a compact body of l0 electron emitting material, when desired. Said container 1 is enclosed by an evacuated envelope 2 having a base 3 cemented to each end thereof. Each of said bases 3 is provided with a pair of contacts 4 and 5 and current leads 8 and 9 areV i5 attached to said contacts 4 and 5 respectively. L Said current leads 8 and 9 are sealed into the pinch part 6 of the stem 7 of said envelope 2 and into the'thickened parts 10 and 11 respectively of said container 1. The part of said leads 8 and 9 between said container 1 and said envelope 2 are coiled to make them iiexible so that said container 1 and said envelope 2 can expand and contract freely and at different rates without breaking said leads 8 and 9. The ends of said current leads 8 and 9 in said container 1 are attached to the ends of the lament of said electrodes 12.

A hollow, cylindrical, 'open ended member 13, of larger diameter than the largest diameter of said container 1, is mounted between said container 1 and said envelope 2 and the ends of said member 13 extend beyond the ends of said container 1. Said member 13 is supported in said envelope 2 and spaced apart therefrom by a pair of circular, coiled, resilient springs 22 each of '35 which ts into the circular groove 23 intermediate the ends of said envelope 2. Said container 1 is supported by a pair of circular, coiled, resilient springs 21 each of which ts into a circular groove 20 in the walls of said member 13 and rests against the shoulder 16 of the container 1. The grooves 20 in the member 13 are between and adjacent the pair of springs 33 and the springs 20 are between the shoulders 16 of the electrode chambers 19 of the container 1. This structure 45 prevents longitudinal movements of the container 1 and the member 13 with respect to the envelope 2 and with respect to each other. The lamp device is thus easily assembled and is strong and rugged and can be transported and mounted with safety.

During the operation of the lamp device the member 13 acts as a bale to reduce the heat losses from all parts of said container 1 including the electrode chambers 19 and thus maintains all Vtaseousto parts of said container i, including the electrode chambers 19, at an elevated temperature and the metal vapor vtherein at an eiiective pressure, that is a pressure at which the light emitted by the device is rich in rays characteristic of the metal vapor, during the operation of said device.

When mercury vapor is a component of the gaseous :killing in said container l it is advant the quantity of mercury introduced into said container to an amount such that the mercury is completely vaporized before the lamp has reached its operating temperature. Such a lamp is a high intensity light source and the effect of ambient temperature changes on said lamp is wane I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details oi the device illustrated and in its use and operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States isz- 1. A gaseous electric discharge device comprising a tubular container, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, a tubular envelope for said container and a cylindrical, open ended baille interposed between said envelope and said containenthe ends of said baffle extending beyond the respective ends of said container.

2. A gaseous electric discharge `device comprising a tubular container, electrodes sealed therein,

a gaseous atmosphere therein comprising a metal vapor, a tubular envelope ior said container and a cylindrical, open ended baille interposed between said envelope and said container. the ends o! said baille extending beyond the respective ends Y of said container.

3. A gaseous electric discharge device comprising a tubular container, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein comprising mercury vapor, a tubular envelope for said container and a cylindrical, open ended baille interposed between said envelope and said container, the ends of said baiile extending beyond the respective ends o! said container. 4. A gaseous electric discharge device comprising a tubular container, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein comprising sodium vapor, a tubular envelope for said container and a cylindrical, open ended bafiie interposed between said envelope and said container, the ends of said baille extending beyond the respective ends of said container.

5. A gaseous electric discharge device comprising a tubular container, electrodes sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, a tubular envelope for said container, a cylindrical, open ended bafe interposed between said envelope and said container, the ends of said baille extending beyond the respective ends of said container, said container and said baille being supported in said envelope by resilient means mounted along the length of said envelope, baille and container and interposed therebetween. Y

, MARTIN REGER. 

